15 Online Classes To Take If You're Feeling Nostalgic For Campus

Ahhh, the smell of freshly sharpened No. 2 pencils and brand new composition books! As the air turns crisp and back-to-school season settles in, many of us feel that familiar itch to learn something new. The good news is that you don’t need a campus ID or a stack of overpriced textbooks to reignite your curiosity—online classes like those offered from MasterClass make it possible to step into the classroom of world-renowned women leaders, artists, and creators from the comfort of home. Whether you’re craving a spark of creativity, practical career wisdom, financial confidence, or simply the joy of personal growth, these 15 classes offer the perfect way to nurture your mind and soul this season.

1. Judy Blume Teaches Writing

Beloved across generations, Judy Blume opens the door to her storytelling secrets, showing how to weave honesty, vulnerability, and heart into every page. Whether you’re a budding writer or simply longing to put your own experiences into words, her class helps you tap into emotional truth and create stories that resonate deeply.

2. Kelly Wearstler Teaches Interior Design

Design isn’t just about furniture and paint; it’s about how a space makes you feel. Kelly Wearstler, one of today’s most influential designers, teaches how to layer color, texture, and pattern to craft rooms that tell stories and stir emotion. It’s a masterclass in turning four walls into a sanctuary of beauty and meaning.

3. Gut Health (MasterClass Original Series)

In this three-part MasterClass series, leading experts demystify the complex world inside your body. Dr. Emeran Mayer explores the profound connection between your gut and brain, showing how your mood, emotions, and mental clarity are rooted in digestive health. David Zilber, renowned fermentation expert, teaches how to cultivate beneficial bacteria through homemade, gut-friendly recipes like kombucha and yogurt. And microbiologists Dr. Erica Sonnenburg and Dr. Justin Sonnenburg reveal lifestyle and dietary strategies to strengthen your immune system and support your microbiome, empowering you to nurture the universe within.

4. Issa Rae Teaches Creating Outside The Lines

Buckle up, ladies! The Emmy-nominated star and creator of the award-winning HBO series Insecure is here to show you how it’s done. According to this course description, “Issa Rae uses her signature do-it-yourself ethos, humor, and voice to offer writers and creators of all types the motivation and tools they’ll need on their journey. Issa shares how she has navigated Hollywood while Black and inspires you to reach your creative dreams and never take no for an answer.”

5. Sara Blakely Teaches Self-Made Entrepreneurship

Spanx founder Sara Blakely brings her self-taught entrepreneurial journey to life, sharing the creative spark that turned a humble pair of cut pantyhose into a billion-dollar brand. In this class, she shows you how to tap into your purpose, nurture bold ideas, and bootstrap your way through prototyping, pricing, marketing, and selling. Sara’s real-world wisdom, from negotiating with manufacturers to fostering company culture, empowers you to launch a product that resonates and sustains.

6. Bobbi Brown Teaches Makeup and Beauty

Bobbi Brown redefines beauty by teaching women how to enhance, not hide, their natural features. With her signature approach to simple, timeless makeup, this class is less about trends and more about cultivating everyday confidence. It’s beauty as self-expression, not perfection.

7. Doris Kearns Teaches U.S Presidential History and Leadership

Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin takes you inside the lives of America’s presidents to uncover timeless lessons on leadership. With her unparalleled storytelling, she reveals how character, vision, and resilience shaped the nation’s greatest leaders, and how those same qualities can guide you in your own life and work. More than a history lesson, it’s a masterclass in courage, empathy, and the power of leadership to change the world.

8. Bob Iger Teaches Business Strategy and Leadership

As one of the most respected CEOs of our time, Bob Iger shares the leadership principles that helped transform The Walt Disney Company into a global powerhouse. In this class, he reveals how to lead with integrity, embrace bold risk-taking, and foster innovation in times of change. Drawing from his decades at the helm of Disney, Iger offers timeless lessons on negotiation, vision, and resilience—teaching you how to approach both business and life with courage, creativity, and purpose.

9. Diane von Furstenberg Teaches Building a Fashion Brand

Fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg shares how she built her legendary brand and turned the wrap dress into a symbol of empowerment. In this class, she teaches how to define your vision, build authentic connections with consumers, and stay true to your creative DNA. With lessons on inspiration, storytelling, and resilience, Diane shows you how to create a fashion brand with purpose, and the courage to reinvent yourself along the way.

10. Amy Tan Teaches Fiction, Memory, and Imagination

Celebrated author Amy Tan, best known for The Joy Luck Club, invites writers on an intimate journey into storytelling rooted in emotional memory. In this class, she helps you discover your unique voice, draw creative fuel from childhood recollections and real-life experiences, and write beginnings and endings that linger. With lessons on narrative perspective, character-building, editing, overcoming writer’s block, and the truth behind rejection letters, Tan gently guides you to write fiction that’s both authentic and imaginative.

11. Joanna Gaines Teaches Designing a Home That Tells Your Story

Design icon Joanna Gaines invites you into her world of storytelling through design, showing how to create a home that feels deeply personal and meaningful. Her class teaches you to establish your design “North Star” using a simple three-word concept, identify a focal “hero” piece to anchor your space, and weave together colors, textures, and meaningful objects in a way that reflects your life and values. Whether you live in a small apartment or a sprawling estate, Joanna helps you design a space that’s authentically yours, without needing a designer’s budget.

12. Alice Waters Teaches The Art of Home Cooking

James Beard Award–winning chef and farm-to-table pioneer Alice Waters opens the doors of her home kitchen to show you how to cook with spontaneity, seasonality, and soulful simplicity. You’ll learn how to choose ingredients at the farmers’ market, stock a practical and beautiful pantry, and transform what’s fresh into nourishing meals. From preparing vegetables three ways and cooking over fire, to setting a meaningful table and honoring the rhythm of nature, Alice guides you toward creating home cooking that’s vibrant, thoughtful, and deeply satisfying. 

13. Ron Finley Teaches Gardening

Urban gardening revolutionary Ron Finley, the self-proclaimed “Gangsta Gardener” of South Central LA, teaches you how to grow your own food, no matter the size of your space. He shares how to transform soil, upcycle containers into planters, cultivate greens, herbs, and sweet potatoes, and multiply your bounty through propagation. More than practical tips, this class seeds a movement, empowering you to reclaim freedom, nourish your community, and plant a revolution where you live. 

14. Anna Wintour Teaches Creativity and Leadership

As former Editor-in-Chief of Vogue and Artistic Director at Condé Nast, Anna Wintour invites you behind the curtain to reveal how bold vision and decisive leadership shape culture. In this class, she shares how to build and manage a creative team, refine your editorial instincts, and lead without apology. Through the making of trendsetting covers, behind-the-scenes glimpses of the Met Gala, and her vision for spotting emerging talent, you’ll learn how to evolve a brand with conviction, and lead creatively with impact.

15. Paul Krugman Teaches Economics and Society

Nobel Prize–winning economist Paul Krugman offers more than economic theory; he teaches you to read the world with an economist’s lens. In this class, he unpacks the principles behind today’s headlines, from healthcare, taxation, and inequality to globalization and political polarization, so you can better decipher the forces shaping society. Through lessons on economic thought, critical thinking, and real-world issues, Krugman empowers you to engage as an informed citizen, equipped to analyze both policy and personal choices with clarity and nuance.